New Zealand: Ministers collude with tobacco industry

Two ministers from the New Zealand First party have shown great proximity to the tobacco industry. Shane Jones, Minister of State for Finance and Energy, has refused to respect the transparency provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, while the roadmap of Casey Costello, Minister of Health, uses terminology identical to that of the tobacco industry. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon claims to want to respect New Zealand's international commitments but is himself ambiguous on the subject of lobbying.

Since coming to power in November 2023, the government coalition has continued to to question the foundations of the fight against smoking in New Zealand. The previous government's plans are all being called into question: banning the sale of tobacco products to people born from 2009 onwards in order to achieve tobacco-free generations, reducing the nicotine content of cigarettes by 95% and reducing the number of tobacco retailers in the country from 6,000 to 600. In contrast to the policy of continued taxation of tobacco products, the government is also reportedly considering a three-year freeze from the indexation of these products on inflation.

Revelations concerning two ministers from the New Zealand First party confirm a form of collusion with the interests of the tobacco industry.

A clear disregard for transparency rules

In this ruling coalition, Shane Jones holds the positions of Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Minister of Regional Development, Minister of Resources, Minister Delegate for Finance and Minister Delegate for Energy.[1]. He was a Labour Party MP from 2005 to 2014, and has been a New Zealand First MP since 2017. According to the BBC, the party and the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers (ACT), also a member of the coalition, have lobbied the National Party to review its policy on tobacco and nicotine products.[2].

Shane Jones has admitted to receiving "polls" from Apirana Dawson, a former New Zealand First employee who became Philip Morris International's (PMINZ) external relations director. Apirana Dawson was also present at Shane Jones' inauguration ceremony in December 2023. In response to suspicions of closeness to the tobacco industry, Shane Jones responded on 6 March 2024 that he did not intend to follow the transparency rules imposed on ministers in the event of contact with this industry.

On the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Article 5.3 of which prohibits any interference by the tobacco industry in public policy, Shane Jones said he knew nothing about it and had no interest in it. "not an iota of attention"[3].

Prior to these statements, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had nevertheless taken care to specify that the government was well aware of the obligations linked to the FCTC, ratified in 2004 by New Zealand. Questioned in February 2024 on the influence of the tobacco lobby, Christopher Luxon had however been more ambiguous, indicating that politicians had to “talking to a wide range of people, from a wide range of sectors”.

Memos echoing tobacco industry statements

In this government, Casey Costello is the Minister for Health, as well as the Minister for Customs and the Minister for Seniors. She is also a New Zealand First MP and was previously a member of the Taxpayers' Union.[4]The latter is a neoliberal pressure group that was notably financed by British American Tobacco for three years, and received at least 347,000 NZ dollars (194,000 euros) in donations and subscriptions in 2015 and 2016.[5].

In a series of memos on tobacco regulation sent by Casey Costello to senior health officials, the language used on many topics was identical to that used in documents published by the tobacco industry.[6].

These notes refer, for example, to innovative measures that have been deprogrammed as measures "experimental" Or "radical", a way of presenting them as uncertain and risky, even extreme. The allusions to the "prohibition" suggest measures that are liberticidal and promote mafia activity. Tobacco taxes are considered too high and are considered "punitive" for the poorest, while their action on smoking cessation among the most deprived has been demonstrated. An approach of "risk reduction" applied to tobacco would be supposed to justify, as the tobacco industry demands, a more lenient taxation for their new tobacco and nicotine products (heated tobacco, electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches). Describing nicotine as " harmless » And "similar to caffeine" is finally a way of concealing the anxiety-provoking, toxic and highly addictive nature of this molecule[7].

Although the memos were issued by her office, Costello denied writing them, knowing who was responsible for them, or seeking any advice. She said she had no links to the tobacco industry and remained committed to the goal of a tobacco-free New Zealand by 2025. However, it was in one of the memos that she had considered stopping the inflation-linked price of tobacco for three years, something she also denied.

A government generally favorable to the tobacco industry

Despite the denials of those concerned, the words and actions of Shane Jones and Casey Costello appear to correspond to the aspirations of the tobacco industry. The industry is opposed to the obligations of the FCTC treaty, and in particular to any measure of taxation of tobacco and nicotine products. The positions of the government and the very terminology used by the ministers from New Zealand First refer to those displayed by the tobacco industry.

The National Party, which holds the reins of this government coalition, also has links to the tobacco industry. The Minister for Housing, Infrastructure and Sport, Chris Bishop, was a lobbyist for Philip Morris New Zealand. The imprecise statements made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon regarding the tobacco industry also lead health professionals to suspect relations with this industry that go beyond the provisions of the FCTC.

Keywords: New Zealand, New Zealand First, Shane Jones, Casey Costello, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Hon Shane Jones, New Zealand Parliament, published 12 December 2023, accessed 12 March 2024.

[2] Mao F, New Zealand smoking ban: Health experts criticize new government's shock reversal, BBC News, published 27 November 2023, accessed 13 March 2024.

[3] Newton K, NZ Prime Minister Shane Jones says he doesn't know or care about tobacco industry transparency rules, RNZ, published March 7, 2024, accessed March 12, 2024.

[4] Hoek J, Edwards R, Waa A, Tobacco industry interference: Is the new Government meeting its international obligations?, Public Health Communication Centre, published on 1^er February 2024, accessed March 13, 2024.

[5] Sachdeva S, Taxpayers' Union backed by tobacco giant, Newsroom, published January 24, 2019, accessed March 13, 2024.

[6] Newton K, The tobacco industry language that found its way into ministerial papers, RNZ, published March 7, 2024, accessed March 12, 2024.

[7] Ling PM, Glantz SA. Tobacco company strategies to identify and promote the benefits of nicotine. Tob Control. 2019 May;28(3):289-296.